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veryinnovative · 4 months

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@jegulus-microfic | january 1, prompt: decent | word count: 1.366 featuring bodyguard regulus black and multi-billionaire heir james potter

“I am not here to be your friend, Mr. Potter.”

There's a crease marring Regulus' forehead, hidden just behind the curl of his sable strands, sculpted brows knitted into a censorious frown. It indicates his internal turmoil well enough, showing just how hard he's struggling to gauge the extent of reprimand he can justifiably express, given his position as the head of James Potter's security team, which still remained a subordinate one at that.

There’s the cocky cant of James’ head as he tries and ward off the smile threatening to quirk at his mouth’s corners. It had taken a decent amount of brainstorming, planning, and persuading to get Regulus to comply—have him begrudgingly acquiesce to the idea of accompanying James inside the club as a more hands-on approach to extending security, even though the former’s constant presence was painstakingly redundant in a heavily monitored club as Godric. But James had pushed his luck even then, insisting Regulus keep wearing his body and thigh holsters, convincing him the ‘streetwear chic’ would be greatly appreciated by the club’s dressing code and grant them easy entrance (as if any club would deny James Potter out of all people, a multi-billionaire heir and continent-renowned philanthropist.).

The straps of the harness glitter underneath the fluorescent strobes of vibrant purple, though nothing as piercingly brilliant as the dangerous glint catching the edges of Regulus’ withering glare.

Ah, fuck.

James traces the sugar-coated rim of his glass, biting down on his tongue, only loosened further by the nth cocktail he’s consumed as he speaks with a beguiling drawl, “But I don’t want you to be my friend, Regulus.”

Life is unfair. Let alone that he lives in a penthouse situated on London’s South Bank overlooking the River Thames or that he can afford designer wear not recognizable by most seeing how James Potter wears quiet luxury clothing brands like Gran Sasso and their perfectly manufactured cashmere sweaters or his current thousand-and-three-hundred quid shirt by Bottega Veneta that’s missing a button at the front with how much he’s been puffing his chest in attempts to draw the attention of his unfairly hot bodyguard.

Because Regulus Black is just it. Black hair meticulously combed so smoothly, inky-black ringlets curling around his face—complexion milk-white and skin undoubtedly just as soft to touch if James was given the chance. Lithe but possessing swift reflexes and at least seven black belts in seven different martial arts that don’t mandate physical strength. Just three days ago, James had seen him throw a man almost three times his size over his shoulder with effortless ease, and how badly James had wished it had been him being tossed around.

The past months have been torturous, especially when Regulus wore his white button-up, that specific white button-up that stretched around his torso, accentuated his small waist, made only smaller when the straps of his harness clung to his chest. And his legs, those fucking long legs, clad in black dressing pants that made the swell of his ass all the more prominent, like a peach. James wanted to fucking squeeze it and devour the pulp left behind, slurp it like an animal that needed to be caged.

Whether it’s the words or the uncurbed lust he’s exuding, Regulus’ features rearrange into something far more complicated. He sucks on his teeth, squints his eyes, and then casts his gaze back into the crowd—the moving masses of bodies lost to the thrum of music.

“No,” he answers from behind the curve of his drink.

James smiles. He’s got him.

“No?” he asks, scooting closer, shit-eating grin only growing wider when Regulus makes no move to increase the distance between them.

“It’s highly unprofessional and breaks every code of conduct I strictly maintain. Not to mention, you’re my employer and—”

“And you want me.” Because he hasn't missed the glances exchanged between them and will be damned if he doesn't do anything about it.

Regulus coughs, sending drops of whisky flying across because Regulus Black is the type of man to drink something so old-school in a club. “What?” he sputters

James shrugs, an act that makes the fabric around his shoulders stretch thin, and does not miss how Regulus’ gaze briefly flits to the sliver of cleavage showing behind the missing button. “Right now you’re just listing reasons that, on contract, prevent any sort of intimacy between us, but if there weren’t any there, you would want this.”

“You’re being highly presumptuous,” Regulus scoffs.

“No, I’m good at reading people.”

“I am paid to guard you,” Regulus deflects.

This, he saw coming.

“Oh, it’s a money thing then?” James asks, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. He flips it open and thumbs through the wad of bills stashed in the compartment. “That’s fine, I can pay.”

This, however, also doesn’t have its desired effect. Regulus makes a face, downright spiteful this time, and does inch away from him, glass slamming onto the counter so hard James fears it might shatter. “What— So now you treat me like a prostitute?”

“What?” James asks, brows furrowed in confusion. He looks at Regulus, his wallet, back at Regulus and—

James Potter, an Oxford graduate, top-of-his-class, can also be a massive idiot.

“Oh— Oh, no— Shit, I didn’t mean— No!” He’s fumbling for words and his wallet, almost dropping it in the act of trying to put it away, nearly releasing it when he misses tucking it back in his pocket. “I just thought— Fuck, no, I’m sorry,” Regulus doesn’t look any more convinced and now James is very much panicking, thank you. “I— You know what, fuck it. Hi, I’m James Potter.”

Regulus looks like he’s having a stroke.

But James is insistent, waving his hand like the gesture will dismiss the awkward, terribly embarrassing interaction from just seconds prior. “Can I get you a drink?”

Regulus blinks at him, then his extended hand, and drags a palm down his face, pinching his nose bridge and breathing in deep.

But James is nothing if nothing stubborn. “Must’ve had a long day, huh? Need an ear?”

“I got a boss that’s stupid as fucking rocks,” Regulus mutters, and oh, James swoons. No one ever dared call him stupid or insult him in this manner, and he might just discover something about himself tonight.

“Yeah, what else?”

Regulus down the remnants of his whisky before raising his glass. “I need a refill for that”

The refill comes quick and this time, James doesn’t feel too scared about bridging the gap between them bit by bit. “So this boss of yours…” he starts, because he’s already a little tipsy and on a streak of dauntless moves. “Is he hot?”

Regulus rolls his eyes. “He’s okay.”

“Oka—” James starts, bridling, before he catches a sight of the subtlest of smirks. Then, excitement, coiling down his spine like a lick of flame kindled further by the challenging gaze Regulus looks at him with. “I think you’re selling him short.”

“He’s arrogant, I don’t think I could bear him with an ego that’s any more inflated.”

“Oh, but you wound him. He’s been trying very hard to be noticed these past couple of months. Even started waking up early to catch glimpses of a certain someone that moved in with him for work purposes.”

Regulus makes a face that reads like ‘Is that the fucking reason why you have been putting your alarm on 4:30 a.m. in a pathetic effort to catch a glimpse of me preparing for the day and trying to be an unnoticeable presence in your life because that’s expected of me as head of security?’ and James smiles like he’s trying to say ‘Yeah, I did. Seeing you drink coffee, freshly showered, is worth it even if I struggle to stay awake during meetings in the afternoon.’

Regulus quirks an eyebrow. “Why is he trying to be noticed by me?”

James links a leg around Regulus’ bar stool and yanks it closer, relishing in the little gasp that leaves his lips as a result. Their legs bump, James’ knee sliding inside Regulus’ thigh, coming to a rest against it.

“Why spoil the fun by talking? I could just show you instead.”

#jegulus #james potter #regulus black #jegulus fanfiction #marauders #marauders au #marauders fanfiction #starchaser #sunseeker #this is for you mil my little iced oat milk latte with millionaires shortbread #MY FIRST MICROFIC FOR JEGULUS PROMPTS!#ino microfic tag!

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ossifer-bones · 11 months

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The question of Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia was the founder of the Sixth House, the Fourth Saint to serve the King Undying, and seemingly not perfectly loyal to him: it was on her instructions—created prior to her death—that the House she founded withdrew from the Empire, transporting its facility away with the aid of five hundred and thirty two obelisks. Why?

What is her current status?

Cassiopeia is dead, according to Mercy. She was torn apart by ghosts whilst luring the physical portions of a Resurrection Beast into the current of the River—specifically Resurrection Beast Number Seven, Varun the Eater.

Mercy is not averse to lying. Mercy witnessed this happen from the bank of the river, as she was nowhere near as immersed as Cassiopeia was, and thus we also don't know if her recollection of events is accurate. We don't know how long ago this happened, either. Pyrrha also asserts that Cassiopeia is dead, but we don't know how accurate this is, because she was compartmentalised within G1deon most of the time, and may have received this information from an unreliable source.

The characters, besides Camilla, also thought that Palamedes was dead. Harrow could not believe his survival. As for how he survived? He made a bubble in the River:

This bubble, created with a single thereom, relied on the use of spirit magic:

Ninth, this place is powered by one single theorem, held together with the fragility of spirit magic.

What was Cassiopeia's specialty, again? Spirit magic. And she was no ordinary spirit magician, she was Augustine's superior!

And she could use theorems while in the River. This feat was only replicated by Harrowhark, whose parents harnessed the power of the thanergy bloom resulting from the killing of two hundred to guarantee she would be born necromantically capable, resulting in her being a staggeringly powerful adept. Cassiopeia is possibly the most powerful spirit magician we know of.

If there was anyone who would be able to replicate Palamedes' creation of a bubble in the River, achieveable with a single theorem? it's Cassiopeia. Who's to say she isn't alive in some regard? Cassy played long games.

What is Cassiopeia's long game?

Now, we don't know the context in which this exchange took place, but the entire Dios Apate plot was only made possible because of Cassiopeia's sharing a tidbit about blood wards to Mercymorn:

Dios Apate Major was the direct result of Cassiopeia's action of sharing this knowledge. Why did she share it? Did she intend for it to be weaponised?

We know that Mercymorn's anatomist specialty is only relevant to someone who intends to kill Lyctors, or God, something Augustine points out, so perhaps Cassiopeia was banking on Mercymorn using it in this way. Or perhaps she was a co-conspirator. We don't know. But you know what we do know?

Cassiopeia worked with Anastasia in the hopes of achieving a perfected form of Lyctorhood.

An avenue of research that John said ended in disaster.

(An avenue of research that was successful enough that John knew she had cracked it, and interfered by killing Samuel.)

Anastasia and Cassiopeia carried out this research together, closely. Anatasia, who later helped John design the tomb, guarded with a blood ward, or more accurately a cell ward. Anatasia, whose remains lie in the tomb.

Cassiopeia's long game is unfolding and the Sixth House's emancipation is merely part of it. And maybe, just maybe, Cassy herself is one of the pieces in play.

Bonus: Finger food

Harrowhark attempts to assassinate G1deon by sectioning her own tibia and animating the bone into a construct inside him, an attempt that is nearly successful. This attempt catches God off guard at first, because not even Mercymorn would be able to perceive foreign bone within a Lyctor, until Harrow reveals it's her own bone.

When else do we see a Lyctor introduce their own bodily material into another Lyctor? The incident with Cassiopeia's cooking that Augustine recounts in the very same scene.

Why would Cassiopeia do this intentionally? To me, two distinct possibilities exist.

She intended it as a contingency of sorts, aiming to use the introduced bodily material to kill one or more of her fellow Lyctors in the event she needed to. They presumably can't perceive it within themselves.

She intended to track the movement of her fellow Lyctors by using her introduced bodily material to circumvent the fact Lyctors are perceptive blank spots: Harrowhark can manipulate her own bone within G1deon from a distance, so presumably Cassiopeia would be able to sense the movement of her own bodily material within her fellow Lyctors as it is digested

Or maybe, just maybe, the finger incident was for irony's sake, considering what Harrow was about to do. Who knows?

#the locked tomb #cassiopeia the first #nona the ninth #harrow the ninth #nona the ninth spoilers #harrow the ninth spoilers #alecto speculation abounds here folks #tlt

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florence-end · 10 months

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Meeting the Family

Cassian x fem!reader (no use of y/n). Vague mentions of Rhys’ time under the mountain but no specific warnings.

Summary: You meet Rhys for the first time as Cassian’s mate after he returns from UTM

“My brother is home.”

Cassian’s face was almost eerily blank as he conveyed the news you had all been waiting half a century to hear. You stood from the sofa that sat by the window of your mate’s bedroom at the House of Wind but didn’t step closer as you waited for him to give some hint as to what he needed from you in this moment.

You had met Cassian almost 30 years ago. He had never believed the nonsense about people finding their mates in the very moment they most needed them, until the day you smiled at him as you passed him on his walk along the Sidra. He began taking long walks shortly after Rhys tied them all to Velaris to protect them and the city while Rhys himself walked straight into Amarantha’s lair. It helped with the claustrophobia that snuck up on him when he remembered he could no longer fly across Prythian to soothe his restless nature.

As Cassian paced the banks of the river, feeling the despair and hopelessness flood through his body once again, you were walking in the opposite direction and wished him a good morning as you passed. Luckily for you both, the bond snapped immediately as he looked up to meet your eyes and a tiny shred of hope sparked into Cassian’s heart.

This small piece of hope spread to the other occupants at the House of Wind after you moved in a short while later as you assisted them in the governing of Velaris in the absence of the High Lord. The inner circle were smart and brave, but the loss of the High Lord was hitting them harder and harder with each year that passed, and cracks were beginning to show. As a lifelong resident of the city, you understood which industries were struggling with the trade restrictions as a result of the warding around the city and could quickly identify solutions to aid the people who were struggling most. With your gentle support, Mor and the boys were able to keep the city running smoothly and safely.

Your bond with Cassian only continued to grow and thrive and your near constant presence at the House of Wind buoyed not only your mate but all of his remaining family as they grappled with the grief and helplessness of losing their brother and cousin. You felt you had known Rhys for years from all Cassian, Azriel and Mor had told you, and the empty chair at family dinners and the untouched study that no one could bring themselves to enter haunted you as you prayed for your mate’s family to be reunited at last.

And now your prayers had been answered.

‘Shall I send for a healer?’ You finally asked as Cassian remained motionless from the shock of the High Lord’s sudden return to the balcony of his home above Velaris.

‘No, he is uninjured. Mor is with him. I have never seen him so…’ Words fail Cassian as he tries to summon anything that would do justice to the shadows in Rhysand’s eyes, the broken sobs he tried to smother in Mor’s neck as she held him. ‘I don’t know what to do. How to help him.’

You took a few steps forward until you could reach for your mate, wrapping an arm tightly around his shoulders while your other hand stroked up and down his back. He folded gladly into your arms, wrapping his own around your waist in a bruising grip.

‘Okay sweetheart, we’ll take it one step at a time. Let’s find Az and then the two of you can go to the dining room to wait for Rhys and Mor to come inside when they are ready. I’ll ask the house to whip up something warm and comforting, and you can all move forward from there. Just let him readjust to being surrounded by family again.’

Cassian nodded and you left him outside Azriel’s door, then you quietly made your way to the library after asking the house to send a meal to the dining room for the three brothers and Mor. While you felt as if you had known Rhys for years, you had yet to actually meet the High Lord and felt sure the last thing he would need after so long away was to make polite introductions with his brother’s new mate. So you settled yourself down in a cosy corner and began to read.

The sun had set when you woke up, still in the library with an open book in your lap, to see Cassian crouched before you and gently patting your knee with a small smile on his tired face.

‘My love, will you come and meet Rhys? He’s asking for you.’

Despite how tired he looked and the slightly red-rimmed eyes that suggested a tearful reunion and dinner had taken place since you had made yourself scarce, you could plainly see his excitement at the prospect of having his entire family and his mate together at last.

You both walked quickly up to the dining room hand in hand as you tried to squash down the nerves that threatened to overpower you at the thought of finally meeting your High Lord. You briefly noted Azriel and Mor smiling at you and Rhys standing from his seat at the table as you entered the room, before lowering your head in a graceful bow out of respect for the man who had sacrificed himself to keep your home, neighbours and friends safe.

‘That is no way for my new sister to greet me. I do hope Cass didn’t put you up to this.’ Rhys joked, stepping forward and reaching for your hand to shake.

‘Absolutely not. Your ego is big enough as it is, brother.’ Cassian chuckled next to you, slipping an arm around your waist to help settle your nerves.

Rhys shook your hand warmly as he introduced himself. The dark shadows under his eyes and the paleness of his complexion compared to the other two Illyrians in the room hinted at the horrors he had endured but you felt your face brighten into a smile in response to his kindness as you told him your name.

Cassian gave your waist one final squeeze before making his way to his seat at the table and striking up conversation with Mor and Azriel, subtly leaving you alone with Rhys for a moment, who turned to watch his family bicker and taunt each other as if it was just a normal evening.

‘Cassian allowed me into his mind to see what I missed while I was… away. Thank you for taking care of my people, my family. To come back and see my brother so loved is more than I could have dreamed of.’

Tears welled in your eyes as you looked to your mate, noticing his wings drooping less and his shoulders loosening more than you had ever seen now that all of his loved ones were present and accounted for. Cassian was a protector at heart, always needing to know you and his family were safe and cared for, which was why you’d always felt a selfish gratitude that Rhys’ wards kept him in Velaris and prevented him from flying straight Under the Mountain. Prevented him from witnessing the horrors that the High Lord was masking beneath the calm facade to protect his brothers and Mor from the truth.

‘Thank you, Rhys.’ You murmured, hoping he would understand you didn’t just mean to thank him for his acceptance of yours and Cassian’s mating bond, but for the safety he had provided that enabled you to meet and love the General at all. From the look he gave you as Azriel called you both to the balcony for another drink, you knew he understood.

You all retired to bed later that night, Rhys insisting on flying down to the Townhouse for reasons you suspected had to do with the nightmares he knew would haunt his sleep. You made a mental note to confirm your suspicions with Mor tomorrow and hatch a plan to bring him back to the House of Wind soon.

After you had bathed and changed into your nightgown, you slid into bed where Cassian lay waiting for you with his arms open. You moulded yourself into his side, your head on his chest and your leg hiked up across his thighs, and felt him let out a long breath.

‘I love you so much.’ He whispered into your hair, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the relief that blanketed the city in response to the news of Rhysand’s return and Amarantha’s demise. ‘I’d have fallen apart long ago without you.’

Pressing yourself impossibly closer to your mate’s body, you place a kiss on his chest and bask in the warmth of the tentative joy that Cassian allows to seep down the bond.

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I have never written anything before and whipped this up on a whim so be kind please!

#cassian x reader #acotar #cassian acotar #rhysand #acotar fanfiction

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llovelyclouds · 8 months

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notes on cassiopeia the first

here's all my notes on cassiopeia (my beloved) that i thought seemed relevant during my tlt reread!

(you can find the rest of my posts from this project here!)

CASSIOPEIA THE FIRST

titles:

Fourth saint to ascend, (??) gen, founded the sixth

notes from harrow the ninth:

Name origins, from the pronunciation guide at the end of htn: "NOTE: Cassiopeia's most famous namesake is the vain queen of Greek mythology who chained Andromeda to a rock, but this does Cassiopeia the First a disservice, as she was honestly just a universally beloved and clever human being who made beautiful meals with the occasional finger error. The evolutionary pressure of Lyctorhood has, alas, selected for jerks."

Came up with the magma metaphor for the river that John later uses (htn. pg. 94)

The only lyctor to last seven minutes in full physical submersion in the river (htn. pg. 97)

Died trying to lure an RB through the current of the river. It followed her, but the spirits killed her, and the RB emerged unscathed 20 mins later (htn. pg. 97)

Had a ceramics collection (htn. pg. 105)

Was able to perform necromancy her first time in the river (htn. pg. 156)

For some reason, the fact that Harrow was also capable of this was part of what gave John the idea that something was up with her birth… interesting!! What does this say about Cassiopeia?

Specialised in studying the river (htn. pg. 171)

Coined the term "periscoping" in regards to the RB's (htn. pg. 173)

Was great at cooking, but once cut off a finger that fell into the food and didn’t mention it until everyone had eaten it (htn. pg. 231)

was a lightweight lol (htn. pg. 268)

Died fighting the seventh RB, Varun (htn. pg. 333)

Brought the RB into the river alongside its brain (htn. pg. 337)

was the person to tell Mercy that blood wards can be bypassed with the genetic material of a close relative (htn. pg. 474)

notes from nona the ninth:

was originally brought on Johns team by oversight execs to handle contracts as their lawyer, but was "on their side before the first year was over" (ntn. pg. 13)

"C- was panicking because with the project over she was getting recalled to England and didn't want to go, she'd got N- and didn't want to leave her, refused to admit they were dating even though we all knew." - John 5:20 (ntn. pg. 73)

specifically worked in contract law (ntn. pg. 99)

when she found out about the cow wall they had to lock her in the kitchen so she could throw up in private for a while (ntn. pg. 192)

"C- kept saying, Pick one. Are we more invested in proving this new plan is bullshit, or in saving you? I was like, It's both, how can it not be both. C- was like, It can't be both. Pick one and stick to it. Decide what you give a fuck about." (ntn. pg. 280)

"'Does God know why the Sixth House left?' 'I'm assuming some grisly moral reason that you're about to impart,' said Ianthe, 'and I want to warn you against sounding like a tract.' [...] 'Cassiopeia the First left us instructions years ago,' said Camilla. 'We left for a lyctor.'" - Ianthe & Cam (ntn. pg. 335)

"Cassy played long games." - Pyrrha (ntn. pg. 336)

"C- had been saying, Can't we gin up an act of good wizardry? Any way to stabilize the North America glacier? Any way to trap the atmosphere over the Northern Territory, show them we can fix things here?" (ntn. pg. 397)

“C- admitting out of nowhere she’s dating N-. All of us like, What? We've known for a year? Go ahead and get married already, we've got a nun. N- was all, That’s not legal. C- of all people said, Who cares. That’s how bad it was. [...] C- and N- got married right over there, you can’t see it now ‘cause of the rubbish. I made flowers grow for them out of the garden, but they came out… weird. Some of the roses had teeth. C- and N- thought that was hilarious. [...] The dome meant we hadn’t had full sunlight in a while. It was beautiful anyway. I cried the whole service. I couldn't remember the last time I’d eaten food.” (ntn. pg. 400)

“At this point my people were like, John, what the fuck? What the fuck is happening? We were all yelling at each other. First time I’d ever seen C- angry.” (ntn. Pg. 401)

“C- said, John, your problem is that you care less about being a saviour than you do about meting out punishment. I said, C-, I was just your best man! C- said, You still are. That doesn’t change the fact that you can be quite the most appallingly vindictive person I have ever met.” (ntn. pg. 401)

“They’d shot C- first… and right in front of my eyes they shot N-. Bubble wrap. I don’t know what happened to them..” (ntn. Pg. 406)

“Cass and Mercy and I worked on cell thanergy- we need thanergy, fresh thanergy, to activate…” - Pyrrha (ntn. pg. 471)

#junos silly little locked tomb thoughts #tlt #the locked tomb #tlt meta #tlt analysis #gtn #htn #ntn #atn #ntn spoilers #gideon the ninth #harrow the ninth #nona the ninth #alecto the ninth #cassiopeia #cassiopeia the first

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seireiteihellbutterfly · 9 days

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Heart of the Fae Chapter 1: The Forest

Summary: The forest is full of mythical creatures, and you unwisely trespass on their territory. What happens when you become the ward of a handsome, blond, high Fae?

Pairing: Fae! Nanami Kento x Fem! reader

A/N: Here's chapter 1 of my collab with @actuallysaiyan who made the story banner as well! This took a lot of time and effort between both of us, so we hope you all like what we've done here! Reader-centric chapters were written by Actuallysaiyan and Nanami-centric chapters (coming up) will be written by me. Please note we are posting the same chapters on each other's blogs separately, so please do not get confused if you see these posts twice. Enjoy!

Follow Along: use #heartofthefae and #veeandbaconwrite to track the story.

Teaser | Nanami masterlist

The forest always called you, its depths mysterious and igniting curiosity as you hear the alluring rustle of the leaves. Cool shade and soft breezes seemed to constantly sweep over you, pulling you into the lush greenness, tempting you to explore the path unknown.

There was a constant string of warnings being hissed into your ear.

“Do not wander too deep into the woods. There are tales of young maidens such as yourself being consumed by the forest. Being taken away by beings that we humans cannot comprehend.”

“Do not follow the stray lights you see hiding in the trees. They will lead you off the path, and when they are sure no one can hear you, will suck the life essence out of your marrow and leave you hollow.”

“Do not listen to voices being spoken by unseen lips. They will whisper words sweeter than a mother’s lullaby sung to her babe, before they turn into the shriek of an animal and devour you whole.”

Despite the warnings, despite the promise you gave your mother when she was on her deathbed all those years ago, you couldn’t help yourself. The forest never felt like the monstrous place people made it seem to be. It was there in your sorrow, it provided the rivers and the water you drank, the readily available game that kept your belly full, and the sweet treats of the tart raspberries and honey carefully harvested by your skilled hands. How could anything so nurturing, so pure, mean you any harm?

One day, you forget the warnings, the whispers, the talk of how most unexplained disappearances occurred when one stepped off the marked trails in the forest and find out that there was some truth in the cautionary tales the villagers uttered, even if they were only partially correct.

Your eyes squinted as you tried to see against the glaring sunlight. It was a bright morning, streaks of blinding sun peeking through the gaps between the leaves. You had paused, almost certain you had heard voices. You couldn’t remember how far you had come away from the manmade paths of safety, only that dawn had just started to peek its head over the horizon when you began. Irregular little flashes of light zig-zagged over your head, too radiant to be a hummingbird, the movements almost liquidy, like lava made gold, seemingly having no specific direction to go.

You had tracked them, your pack weighing down on your back, hypnotized at the idea of what they could be, going further into the forest, the trees becoming progressively more wilder and gnarled, bunching up together so closely that in some areas you had to find a way to squeeze through the thick trunks. And then it had opened up; the trees gave way to flat land, a clearing, no, a village, little cottages standing in neat rows for what seemed like miles.

Curiously, you wander towards them, adjusting the pack now starting to grow heavy on your shoulders before spotting a woman hanging out her clothes to dry on a line. As you approach, your pace slows as you see she had the general shape of a human, but her ears…strangely pointed and large…then as the being turned around, you clasp a hand over your mouth.

She had wings.

She was no human. Fairies. The tales the villagers used to say were true, that Fae lived in these woods. Your wonder grew as you watched her walk back into her cottage, unaware that you had been observing her.

You notice a few of the Fae watching you from their spots in the village. One of them leans in to whisper in the other’s ear, and you begin to feel nervous. After all the warnings and the things you had heard, it was actually real. You had always wondered why people had such strong feelings about the forest, and you could now see why.

“Are you lost?” you hear a small voice asking you. You look down to see a sweet little girl standing there. Her eyes are so friendly and welcoming. She’s got the most cherubic face you’ve ever seen.

“I-I guess I am.”

“Come with me.”

You decide to follow her as she leads you further into the village. Your eyes wander as you take in everything. The homes and buildings all have a mystical air to them, but there’s also something royal about it. Something regal and fancy.

Before you even have the chance to look around the little girl’s parents are calling her over. She looks around nervously before she heads towards them. It has become very clear that you are an outsider. You knew the risk of venturing into the forest, but something about this makes you feel so uneasy.

“Halt!” You hear a deep voice calling. You look over your shoulder to see a fairy in armor.

“You aren’t one of us,” he states, grabbing your hand.

“Let go of me!” You try to struggle free, but he’s not letting you go.

He looks at you with narrowed eyes, studying your features. He realizes very quickly that you aren’t a fae at all. He knew it from the start, but he had his doubts about you being human. Most humans don’t make it this far into the forest, so the guard had wondered if maybe you were another mystical creature.

“Don’t fight me on this.” He leans in to tower over you. “If you aren’t a fairy, you have no business here. Who let you in?”

You shake your head, “Nobody ‘let me in’. I just found this place by myself.”

He looks shocked. “That’s…that’s unheard of. It’s been centuries since any human has—no, I won’t settle for this.”

You squirm in his grasp. His tight hold was beginning to hurt you, and you could feel tears welling up in your eyes. Was this going to be trouble for you? Should you have just ignored your instincts?

“Just stop fighting me. You need to see the king. You have no choice.” He explains it to you. “Only the king can decide your fate now.”

He explains to you that you have no choice but to follow him. He’s going to be bringing you to see the king. You swallow hard as you seem to understand what your curious nature has gotten you into.

Everything inside the king’s court is unbelievably magnificent. The candelabras are ornate, Phthalo, and gold in color. The flames are almost unreal. The rest of the decorations mimic the colors and appear like it’s bathed in a mystical glow. Your eyes take in every single detail as you make your way towards court.

Two wide doors are flung open and you notice very few people in the room. The king, a broad and big man, sits on his green throne. He carries himself proudly, and with his long, luscious blond hair and deep brown eyes, you can see he is the picture of a regal man. He smiles at you softly, though you can see that he is trying to keep himself more neutral than the rest of the court.

His eyes are alight with curiosity as you make your way forward. You slowly approach him, observing the kind look on his face, though it does nothing to ease your nerves. Beside him sits a woman who has an icy look to her. Her eyes are like a pair of sapphires like someone plucked the most precious stars from the sky and placed them in her head. The tiara that sits upon her beautifully coiffed hair suggests she’s the queen.

You keep your head bowed. Seated off-center from the king is a man who exuded a warm, kind, personality, his hazel eyes shimmering with curiosity. He holds a smile that suggests he would be the type of person you could whisper secrets to and he’d never tell another soul. He seemed to be eyeing you, displaying a sincere smile. His physique is tall and broad, his golden locks neatly parted and falling pleasingly at the edges of his face.

“State your business, young human.” The king says.

Sitting on either side the king and the queen is a panel of high Fae. One of them in particular shares a striking resemblance to the queen. His snow-white hair and brilliant blue eyes make you feel so inadequate, standing like a commoner in front of the regal-looking court. He smiles at you, but it leaves you feeling cold. Looking into his eyes is like looking into an infinite void that you could so easily lose yourself to. It’s almost like he can tell you’re nervous so you look away.

“I…I am sorry for intruding. I got lost as I walked into the forest.”

The king motions to the pack on your back, “And you don’t suppose you might have been looking for us?”

You try not to get flustered. “Not intentionally. W-well…I can’t say I wasn’t curious. I have heard stories about your people.”

There’s a bit of chatter as you explain yourself. You notice the man with the hazel eyes is smiling at you.

“It has been said that humans are quite curious by nature. But let it be known that your kind isn’t welcome here. We have set boundaries and traps to keep humans out of here.” The king sighs. Then he takes a second to mull over the information. “I suppose you’re not really at fault considering you found us by accident.”

The queen leans in to whisper in his ear, and the king frowns as he considers her words. He thinks about it for a bit. A few more of the Fae chime in, but you can’t make out what they are saying. The king listens to his court before continuing.

“However, we cannot allow you to remain here. This is our sanctuary and humans aren’t welcome here. We’ll have to take precautions if we are to send you back since we can’t let you leave with knowledge of our location and existence.”

“Come here,” the queen beckons, and you know better than to disobey. Once you’re in front of her, she snaps her fingers and another fairy comes to her side. They exchange words you can’t quite make out either. Then the second fairy, an older man with graying hair, comes closer to you. He presses his fingers to your temples, making you shiver at his touch. His eyes are golden and sunny.

“Just relax, okay?”

You nod your head before you start to feel a strange tugging sensation in your mind. It’s almost like someone is going through your memories and trying to erase the ones that you’ve recently made from discovering this place. Your eyes close involuntarily, and your breathing becomes a bit more shallow. Your heart pounds in your chest as the sensations get more intense. Then suddenly, everything stops.

Muttering fills the court. The elderly Fae looks puzzled as he peers into your face. “I’m sorry. I have never had anything like this happen,” he explains. “She was supposed to forget everything she saw after coming here.”

The queen scowls at him, “Are you saying you cannot perform this simple task?”

He shakes his head, “As strange as it is, no I cannot. I won’t be able to perform this on her.”

More chatter erupts in the throne room. No human has ever withstood the memory charm. This would be the first time in history that a human was able to deflect such a powerful spell. All eyes are on you, and you can’t help but look away from the crowd.

“Silence! She will have to stay until we find another method.” The king then looks at you, “Let’s hope someone from this court is kind enough to take you in. You’ll need shelter for the time being. Perhaps…you?” The king points to another one of the Fae of the court.

“N-no, I couldn’t. My wife is with child,”

The king sighs. “I need a volunteer. Please, we need someone to shelter this human.”

Another Fae pipes up, “Couldn’t we just maybe—”

The queen says, “No, no human in the dungeons. That’s reserved for prisoners.”

The beautiful amber-eyed Fae looks at you and he feels his heart thumping hard in his chest. He raises his hand and the king spots him.

“I will shelter her. I can do this.” He speaks so eloquently. The king cocks an eyebrow, “Are you sure? We could find someone else to–”

The blond Fae speaks up again, “It’s fine, uncle. I promise I can accept this.”

The king thinks about it for a moment, then he faces you again. He knows that you could be some sort of spy that could ruin you all, but when he looks into your eyes he sees this curiosity that isn’t any sort of malice. He finally nods his head.

“You should be grateful that my nephew has a heart. Then it’s settled, you will stay with him.”

You all look towards the man who was smiling at you earlier. The man blushes and looks away shyly. Your heart races when you look at how adorable he is from being so flustered. You feel a blush creeping up on your own cheeks. The king notices everything, but keeps his face impassive. The thought of his nephew taking in a human does not bode well with him. Despite this, the choice has been made and there aren’t many others who have volunteered for your cause.

The king smirks, though he does well to hide it. He then leans over to consult with his wife. She looks at you, then at the man. He approaches you slowly, considering all the options at play here. Then he extends his hand out to you, and you shake it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kento,” He brings your hand up to his lips and places a delicate kiss on it.

“F/n L/n,” you offer a hasty introduction. “The pleasure is all mine,” the words flow from your lips. You surprise yourself at how charming you can be at this moment.

The king’s voice fills the room, “Are you sure this is what you want, Kento? You could have someone else house this young lady.”

Kento shakes his head no, his beautiful locks swaying as he does so. “It’s no trouble at all.”

“Then it’s settled. You can stay with my nephew.”

You look over at Kento, and though you have just met him, there is something so comforting about his presence. Was he really the king’s nephew? He takes your hand and guides you outside of the court. You notice a few Fae from the court following you. The tall, lean Fae with the piercing blue eyes seems to have become interested in the matter. He smirks at you and at Kento, elbowing your company in the side.

“Ahhh, so the spring Duke has his pick of the litter, hm? The first human in centuries and you get to lay claim to her?” He pokes fun at Kento.

Kento frowns. “This isn’t what this is about. She needs somewhere safe to stay. It’s not like you were jumping up at the opportunity to let her stay with you.”

The other Fae ignores him and he smiles at you, “I’m Satoru by the way. Kento here pretends he has manners, but really I’m the one you should be staying with.”

“Your kind isn’t in court right now. Just because you happen to be a distant cousin to the queen doesn’t mean you have any right to lay claim on someone. Besides, this isn’t for your own personal greed. She needs our help.” Kento explains, pressing his hand on your side to keep you behind him.

Satoru laughs sarcastically, “So what happens when winter rolls around? You just going to pass her off like some ragdoll? What happens when the spring is gone and your family has to resign their ruling for the next court?”

This causes Kento to emit a low growling noise causing Satoru’s eyes to widen and then suddenly he begins to laugh. Kento almost seems like a guard dog about to attack. The hair on the back of his neck is standing on end.

“Come on, Kentooo, I’m only joking.” Satoru teases once more.

“It’s not funny. Now if you’ll excuse us…”

And with that, Kento pulls you closer to him and he begins to lead you towards his quarters.

Dividers by @cafekitsune

Taglist:

@daswanj @byul9158 @mirrors-musings @Mangiswig @that-goth-bisexual

@connorsui @jadedjane @darkstarlight82 @buttercupbitches @hunnie-lily

@senseifupa @whatshernameis @kenpachisbrat @beneathstarryskies

#nanami kento #nanami kento x reader #nanami kento fluff #nanami kento jjk #fae! nanami #nanami kento au #jjk au #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen au #heart of the fae #vee writes #vee and bacon write #jjk nanami #nanami x reader

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bonefall · 9 months

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I know you said the Chelford cats and by extension Bloodclan are a bit cultural melting pot but. What are the Statistics, Elder Bones? Does anyone there speak Seamew as a native language? Any who follow the Sister's religion?

Nearly everyone speaks Townmew, but bilingualism is SUPER high rate. Something like 90% speaks Townmew, and 40% speak a second language.

A surprisingly high number of them ARE ex-Clan cats. Brightsky is one of them-- though she's what BloodClan calls an "Innenouter." A kittypet who is allowed outside, but always returns at night.

Innenouters are treated like outsiders, but not in a way that's rude or violent like the Clans. They can't qualify for Official BloodClan Work, but can join in on daylight projects if they'd like. They also aren't able to receive their own food rations, because they are expected to be fed at home.

But, back to demographics.

About 30% of BloodClan is able to speak Clanmew, through being clanborn or being descended from them. It's a minority, but a pretty big one. It's one of the reasons Townmew and Clanmew haven't drifted too far linguistically; Clanmew continues to influence Townmew.

(It's also how Darktail was able to pick up Clanmew even before meeting SkyClan, and how WarriorClan learns it)

Up next, there are actually some cats that speak Modern Tribemew. Tribemew is a popular language family, picked up by travelers that pass through the Valley Ward and distributed around the "mid lands" that lay between the Forest and the Lake.

But, it's rare in Chelford. You're looking at a sharp drop in the demographics compared to Clanmew, something like 8%, and even fewer speak it as their mother tongue.

Seamew is one of the rarest languages in BloodClan. Hengest is VERY far away. You're looking at a rate of maybe 2%. If you made a "map" of all the connections between individual cats to see where they travel to meet family, hang out, and sightsee, you would observe that BloodClan cats have few connections "beyond" the mouth of the River Chell, where SkyClan's gorge was.

Anyway, religion

Ancestor worship is surprisingly unpopular in Chelford. It's a town and there are no stars thanks to light pollution. StarClan is laughable to most of them-- if they're so strong, where are they?

Still, Clankin cats hold to it. You're looking at 10% or so that believe in StarClan specifically, and 20% more who have a more abstract type of ancestor worship.

Reincarnation is a popular idea, that you keep getting reborn in new forms. A lot of cats find the idea of divine punishment for their enemies comforting though lmao, living in a place where there are good and bad humans who you'll never see justice done to.

There's a lot of beliefs here, it's not a sore point to talk about religion except with ex-Clan cats, who are super touchy about it. Everyone has a different, personal idea of how the world works and what comes next.

So there's definitely a couple of Sister religion believers, or people who unknowingly have influence from Sister ideas. Tribe too, and even Park cats from so long ago.

#BB!Bloodclan #Better bones au #Iceheart himself doesn't have much in the way of religious beliefs.#If you asked him he would say he doesn't have much need of it. He's lived in the moment his whole life #And tried to do what he thought was best for the big picture #Before the clans he used to believe death was just like sleep #He preferred that idea honestly. What's the point in worrying for a future you will have no influence over #No. It's simpler for life to just be life and then everyone else figures it out when you're gone #But after his death he watches over his nieces in honor #Because that's existence now

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ghostoffuturespast · 4 months

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hey ghostie i was gna get specific for the ask game but I wanna know *all* of it now, the acronyms, the full names, all of em! are they for cyberpunk or other fandoms? no matter how much there is to know, i wanna know! talking about an idea helps a lot, i speak from experience! thanks for the mention, ill get on the wip game soon, too! ❤️

WIP Game Here

Thank you for the ask! I appreciate it :) They are all Cyberpunk 2077 things lol. I’ve largely been a lurker in other fandoms until this one, and this is the first one that finally compelled me to make stuff and that I’ve had the bravery to share. Don’t have many snippets at the moment, all of what I have so far is already out there. Since you asked for all of them though, I shall dish and give you a bit of a peak behind the curtain on how all this got started…

(I’m sorry, this got very rambly.)

And def tag me when you do yours! I will come find you and your wips! 🧡

SIG - So It Goes

(The title is based off the radio song from the game that you can listen to on Morro Rock. Never officially released and credited to the fictional band Fingers and the Outlaws in the game. Officially sung by Ryan Kattner, the front singer of the band Man Man.)

SIG is my current V/River conspiracy theory long fic that I’m working on, and the project is coming up on its two year anniversary. It’s also my first fic. I’m hoping to wrap it up this spring so I can move on to other creative endeavors. There are a lot of art projects, fandom and non-fandom related, that I’ve held off on because of this and I miss those hobbies. I also feel like I’ve been missing out a lot in the writing corner of the fandom too because a lot of new writers have popped up on the scene since I started (back when there was still a monopoly on the tag, but that’s a different story) and everyone else seems to be having fun reading everyone else’s fics, except me… Reading’s complicated for me right now. Writing this had a lot of ups and downs, but overall I’ve loved telling this story, learned a lot, and I’m really proud of it!

I think most people get into fic writing for the ships, the romance, the smut, the processing of internalized trauma, a more satisfactory ending, weird niche interests… And don’t get me wrong there’s a lot of appeal with all that, and definitely those aspects in my own work. But this whole thing got started because of conspiracy theories. I fucking love mysteries and puzzles, so after playing the sun ending and then I spotting Mr. Blue Eyes on the balcony during the conclusion of Dream On, I just about lost my damn mind. I went down the rabbit hole, spent hours reading shards and messages in the game, combed reddit theory posts, and started picking up on all the hints and foreshadowing of something larger looming throughout the game.

I initially didn’t have any answers when I made the decision to start this fic (fuck, high probability I still don’t), it was largely me brainstorming and trying to figure out what kind of story I wanted to write. Seeing if I could even piece things together. But in the process of thinking all that through, I came up with this little theory. I thought it was pretty mind blowing at the time (still think it is) but it’s been my little secret since I got here and I’m very anxious to finally share it.

Most people probably would have just written a theory post and been done with it, but I decided to turn mine into a fan fic lol. Which may or not have been a mistake, we’ll see. This is either gonna be game changing or everyone is going to think it’s dumb and I’m gonna be wearing a dunce cap for the next fifty years.

River Ward. The other half of my reason for writing this fic. I actually wasn’t sure if I liked him at first, it took me a while to warm up to him. But the more I got to know him, the more I started to like him. The more he grew on me. He got hotter over time. Plus, I’ve got a fondness for detective characters and unusual coats, so I should’ve seen it coming.

River’s gotten a lot of flak from this fandom. People claim he’s boring. He’s a cop, so acab. Being unemployed and living in a trailer park with your sister, niece, and nephews isn’t a particularly redeeming quality. I don’t agree with most of those statements, but I do agree with the folks who do appreciate his character, that in terms of development, he absolutely got shafted in the game. This fic is also an attempt to rectify that.

For as underdeveloped as his story arc was, there’s a lot of nuance to his character that I think gets glossed over by the game and most people. We didn’t get much, but out of what we did get, it’s been interesting trying to piece a story together that’s in line with what we got. And I did mention earlier that I like puzzles.

I’ve noticed that a lot of folks tend to lean very hard into the cop aspect of his character, but as far as I’m concerned, River Ward doesn’t give a shit about the law. Conducting an off the record investigation, intimidating a confidential informant, illegally obtaining evidence, breaking into a restricted lab, committing arson for your ex so she can pass a medical exam, conducting another investigation after being suspended; those are not the actions of a man who holds the letter of the law above all else. Those are the actions of man who is determined to get to the bottom of things, and protect people, all while navigating a system that is anything but equitable or fair. They are the actions of a man who is willing to go above and beyond for the people he cares about, even to his own detriment. His own safety. For River Ward, it was never about the law, it’s about justice. And pursuing that sometimes involves breaking the rules.

River is also Pomo. Which is something that was only added in subsequent patches, heavily glossed over in the game, and is only disclosed if you choose to actually romance him. But he’s Indigenous. Native American. And yet he still made a conscious decision to join the NCPD. Given the historical participation by law enforcement and government institutions in North America, and around the world, in the cultural erasure and mass genocide of entire nations, tribes, and communities of people. And given the current state of issues regarding law and judicial enforcement on tribal lands, I think River's character is a rather poignant reflection. Of wanting to good, of wanting the world to be better, but being confined in systems that simply won't allow that. There's a billion other little details I could ramble on about, but his character had the capacity to walk a very fine line of complexities which the game never really did justice to.

Diversity and representation in media are important to me, and I want this fic to reflect that. Being bi-racial, I didn’t get very much of it growing up, so if I can provide representation, even in some small capacity, I think it’s better than nothing. And while I don’t know if I’m achieving that, well, shit if I’m not trying.

I wouldn’t say this story was really meant to be original, but rather to fill in the gaps on the story we got and for me to practice writing. Practice telling a story. CP2077 is a violent game set in a violent world. And I somehow managed to start writing a story that accidentally ended up being a love letter to aikido. (Much to my chagrin. It’s everywhere. In everything. I cannot escape it.) Aikido is a martial art that translates “to the way of peace” or “the path of harmony.” Yet again, another study in dichotomies. How can a martial art, an art form designed to inflict violence, be peaceful? Aikido is as much of a martial art as it is a philosophy. We train to practice and learn that philosophy.

One of the major themes I’m exploring in this fic series is the nature of violence. What it is, the forms it takes, how cyclical it is, that it is a relationship - violence requires your participation. So the question ends up being: how do you break cycles of violence when you live in a world where you are beholden to it? V and River are very much two characters that are caught up in cycles of violence. Will they find peace? I don’t know, but maybe they can find out together.

From The Top

(This one isn’t named after a song. I just decided to start from the beginning.)

From The Top is the VP project I started up last spring where I’ve been taking storyboard style photos of all the main missions. Plus whatever else I feel like. I take all of my photos on PS5 in vanilla photomode and randomly started snapping pictures just because. I did landscape photos, shared a few. Got a bit of nice feedback from people who cared to look and then started branching out. I eventually got to the point where I started a new playthrough for the sole purpose of snapping photos.

Taking VP is very different from writing for me. I don’t have to think about. I don’t agonize about making sure every tiny detail is just right, because for the most part I don’t have very much control It’s candid, intuitive, experimental, it’s straight up play. I simply wait for opportunities to present themselves and capture whatever I think looks or feels interesting to me. It’s easy for me to walk away from it if it doesn’t do well when I post. Unlike my writing, there’s no ego attached to it.

I’m getting to the tail end of this project, I still have a couple of the base game missions to get through, but I’d also like to do Phantom Liberty as well. Not sure what my VP career is going to look like after this, might go into soft retirement. But that’s okay.

NR - Night Running

(Named after Night Running by Cage the Elephant)

Is a sleeper wip that’s currently in the notes, brainstorming, and kitchen drawer phase. It’s part 2 of my Nothing Comes Before Night City series. So It Goes is part 1.

It takes a long time for me to mull over and ruminate on ideas, so this document is largely just a repository for notes and thoughts. Jamming the utensils in the drawer until I’m ready to organize them. I have a very broad idea of what I’d like to happen in this fic, key moments I’d like to hit, but there’s still a lot of refinement that needs to happen, and stories this involved require me outlining. I do already have a running set list of songs to draw from though.

Les Preludes

(Named after Les Preludes by Franz Liszt)

Another sleeper wip, also in the brainstorming phase. These are meant to be one-shots or short stories from the Nothing Comes Before Night City series. Moments I mentioned in the series, but can’t fit into the larger story. Character studies and background lore from V, River, Johnny, Jackie, a couple of OCs and whatever else I can think of.

I will probably start casually working on these after I finish SIG and while I’m outlining NR. I’d like the series to go in chronological order. Should be fun. And I think it’ll be good practice for being more concise. Unlike, this response...

If you stuck around for this TedTalk and made it all the way to the end, thank you! 👻

#wip game #ask away!#tag you're it #cyberpunk 2077 #from the top #fic: so it goes #works in progress #long post #river ward #nothing comes before night city

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dailycharacteroption · 2 months

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Roleplaying Races 15: Naiad

(art by Celiarts on DeviantArt)

I’ve said it before, but there are a handful of playable ancestries in first edition which got a blurb in a bestiary, but was never really touched again.

This is technically true of today’s entry: the naiad, but Paizo didn’t completely forget about them, as they show up again in 2E… admittedly with monster stats and only the lore drop of them occasionally becoming adventurers, but no ancestry stats… not yet, anyway.

In any case, naiads!

In Greek mythology, Naiad are a type of nymph, minor female deities that preside over aspects of the natural world, either independently or in the service of a more powerful divinity that rules more generally over the nymphs more specific focus.

In particular, naiads were the guardians of all bodies of freshwaters with the exception of full rivers, which had their own divinities. Anything from streams to fountains to ponds and lakes. Anywhere that fresh water could be found was their domain. They were known to be healers and protectors to those that honored them, but also dangerous and sometimes jealous beings, but that’s true of many Greek divinities.

In Pathfinder, naiads are a form of lesser nymph, able to bond with any body of water, rather than just being stuck with one on their moment of birth. As such, they tend to wander much further afield than other nymphs (with perhaps the exception of their more oceanic kin.)

That wanderlust and keen interest in protecting waterways and sources of fresh water means that many naiad take up the life of adventure to grow in strength and defeat evil that seeks to pollute and corrupt.

As fey creatures, naiad have a decidedly otherworldy appearance, appearing as humanoids seemingly made of water, and often adorning their forms in clothing made of living aquatic plants. Despite their appearance, however, they are very solid beings, and can come in a variety of genders despite the stereotypes of supposedly being only female.

As both fey and wanderers, Naiads don’t typically have societies of their own, though they probably pay homage to more powerful nymphs and to local fey courts when they’re in the area. Their wanderings also place them in greater contact with mortals too, so they likely have a better understanding of the mortal mindset as they interact with and integrate with their societies. They still are fey, however so their worldview no doubt clashes sometimes. They do, however, share a love of music and performance, as evidenced by the nature of their blessing when bestowed on a mortal.

Naiads are agile and charming, though their bodies are somewhat weak.

Their fey nature also gives them good night vision as well.

What’s more, being in tune with nature lets them befriend animals easier and understand the natural world.

True to their nature as nymphs, naiads can imbue a small token of favor, typically a lock of hair, which grants a minor blessing to creativity and mental integrity to the one it is gifted too. What’s more, the link between the naiad and their token lets them keep tabs on the well-being of the recipient, and they can rescind this blessing at any time.

The other iconic ability of theirs is the ability to bond with a freshwater body of water. As long as they are within a minute’s run from this water, the naiad draws protection from it, warding them against mundane and supernatural attack.

Charisma and dexterity are fun bonuses to have, making these fey surprisingly good swashbucklers. As fitting for their nature as minor muses, they also make good bards and skalds, to say nothing of their mastery of sorcery, the talents of a rogue/slayer, and so on. What’s more, their tokens and ability to draw protection from water makes defensive magic and water magic good themes to explore as well. Their only real weakness is the low strength, but that’s easy enough to surmount.

That does it for today, but we’ll be ending off with one more ancestry orphaned by the bestiary book it was introduced in!

#pathfinder #race #naiad #bestiary 6

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cajunwitch101 · 1 year

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PROTECTION MAGIC::

Protection magic is anything done with the intention to banish negative energy and strengthen inner power. It’s the reminders from our grandmothers, their small rituals and superstitions. We all have our ways of feeling safe and of warding off the adverse influences of the outside world. We are living through an unfathomably violent and chaotic time in human history, plagued with inequality across the scale. These turbulent cycles have occurred before, but now with the prevalence of social media, we are inundated with heartbreaking and overwhelming imagery nearly constantly. Our nervous system — and our souls — can only process and experience so much. Anxiety and worry can create a life of their own, overtaking our psyches and manifesting even more negativity around us.Staying embodied and centered during uncertain times can be difficult, but necessary. Right now, we are being called to increase our prayers, create networks of safety amongst our communities, and implement all our strongest protective tools. You can find the simple tools of protecting yourself, your home, and your loved ones

RITUAL BATHING:

When we experience traumatic events, or sudden life transitions, our spirits can become disconnected from our bodies from the shock. For example, people who’ve experienced a horrible accident might have an out of body experience, or someone suffering from depression might dissociate. The simplest way to reset our energy is through water, in any form. Water contains the essence of life and instantly purifies the aura and clears the mind. Whether you just take a hot shower, dip into the ocean, or cleanse yourself in a river, all forms of water are grounding and healing.

Visit your favorite body of water and imagine the water washing away any stagnant energy you’re holding. Sea salt or epsom salt specifically help draw out tension and trauma held in the body. Add herbs to your bath to amplify the cleansing properties of your ritual. The most simple protection bath ingredients you can purchase at any supermarket healthstore or corner market: fresh rosemary, fresh mint, and lemons. Cut and chop all ingredients in a large bowl or bucket of room temperature water, and pray over the mixture, speaking your intentions for physical or energetic protection. Pour the mixture over your head and imagine all of the plant matter absorbing and releasing any malevolent energy. Discard all plant matter and dress in light colored clothing afterwards.

KITCHEN MAGIC

Every culture has plants traditionally used to ward off evil. Whether the plants are used as incense, or eaten as food,engaging with them helps us absorb their magical qualities. Our immune systems protect the body from both negative energy and unwanted pathogens, making nourishment key to our overall wellness. Food is one of our greatest medicines and a first line of defense. And luckily, our kitchens are already stocked with healing and protective medicinal herbs.

A simple fire cider can be made to protect the immune system and fight off any pathogens, both physical and energetic. Mix chopped fresh herbs and vegetables like oregano, sage, thyme, garlic, onion, ginger, chilies, turmeric, and pack in a jar with apple cider vinegar, making sure the vinegar covers the plant material. Store in a cool dark place for 2-4 weeks and then strain — now you have a potent fire cider! Take a shot of your fire cider potion regularly, especially during cold and flu seasons. Many of these pungent herbs contain antimicrobial and antiviral properties, helping us fight off illness, as well as malefic energy. There’s a reason these herbs have been used historically to avert everything from vampires to plagues.

Jewelry is a great way to wear your power talismans on you throughout the day. Try wearing protective crystals like obsidian, turquoise, or carnelian or balancing metals like copper or gold. Find pieces that resonate with you and make you feel powerful. Evil eye charms can be worn as bracelets or other jewelry, or hung anywhere in the car or home. The evil eye symbol protects us from negative energy, and especially the unintentioned gaze of others.

Clothing and fashion is another way to express protective barriers. The clothes we choose to wear carry their own energetic significance. If you’re experiencing a lot of stagnant emotions or depression, try wearing white or light colored clothing to uplift some of that energy. White is a purifying color that stops us from picking up any outside influences. If you’re suffering from anxious thought patterns, try covering your head with a bandana or hat to block some of that energetic interference. The color red symbolizes protection and empowerment, and can be worn to create a strong energetic shield.

SMOKE CLEANSING

Burning incense is another ancient technique used to clear energy and call in protective spirits. Try using an incense that relates to your ancestral spiritual practices (if you don’t immediately know which plants to use, this is a fun research topic) and steer clear of any commercially available white sage or products that contain it. With the rising interest in ritual practices, white sage has become synonymous with the idea of “cleansing” negative energy or “smudging” and is sometimes viewed as the only plant that can be used for such reasons. Nothing could be further from the truth, as each plant and herb contains their own potent magic, and no one plant is better than another. Herbs used worldwide for cleansing energy include: frankincense, pine, cedar, rosemary, and different types of sage. Find the sacred incense that resonates with you or is plentiful in your local landscape.

PRACTICAL MAGIC

Our homes are an extension and reflection of ourselves, and therefore of our energy fields. Chaos and clutter within the home can be reflected in many ways, and can create energetic blockages in our lives. Research principles of feng shui to see if there are ways to create more energetic alignment in your physical spaces. Also, any act of cleaning is in itself a cleansing ritual. When we clean our home, we remove stagnant vibrations. As you sweep or clean, imagine negative energy being released back into the universe. Mirrors can also be placed throughout the home to deflect unwanted spirits and energies from entering your space. Pay special attention to your doors and windows; those are important places to cleanse with incense, and place protective talismans near those entrances and exits.

PROTECTION MAGIC OVERVIEW

Protection magic is an ancient practice, and can be found in the customs, superstitions, and rituals practiced by cultures worldwide. You may be performing many of these already, as they are largely instinctive and inherited. Coming back to these roots is where the most potent magic lies. What small daily rituals do you or your family practice? What makes you feel safe, or grounded in your body? Delving into the practices of your direct ancestors or lineages, and engaging with the practices of others with respect and awareness, can enrich and expand the practices you already maintain.

Stand empowered in your own magic and share your gifts with your friends and families, and with children and youth especially. We are responsible for protecting our own energy, and safeguarding future generations. Listen to your intuition. Keep your shields up. Stay healthy, protected, and blessed. As they say, your grandmother’s & great grandmother's prayers are still protecting you.

#witchcraft #witchyvibes #witch community #witchblr #witchcraft spells #spell work #magick #witchy #witchy tips #witches of tumblr #pagan witch #witch blog #baby witch #eclectic witch

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thatruerealmwalker · 23 days

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So...

WE'RE BACK AGAIN LADS- BUT THIS TIME IT'S A BOY.

Even as this Cradle burns down... From the Ash I will Rise once Again. - Finale Quote

This is William Rivers (Full name drop!) which has appeared on the blog before! Now you may ask me- "Realm? Why is William a Magical Boy now?"

Well one- He is a Magical Girl- because calling him that makes him scream- and Two- It's complicated.

William pretty much as the same back story and personality as Innocent Ash- I just never gave Ash a civilian form or an actual name. So when I did make William- I realized "Wait... this is just Innocent Ash."

So two became one and here we are. I'm not going to mention the certain flower girl toy mascot horror game- because unlike Claire, William was pretty much fully formed- just no name. Or some smaller details I've ironed out now. I have no 'legal' basis to tag this under Poppy Playtime- (Maybe I do? This situation is strange)

However- for the sake of being fair- and because I want to- Thank you @realizinau for indirectly helping me fully realize the OC. (I also think you maybe want to see this? It has a bunch of extra William lore if you just take out the Magical stuff and ignore the other characters mentioned- Great work by the way as always Vis, hope your vacation/trip is going well!)

As before with Claire- who if you have missed you can find HERE-

Below are some details, and under that is a short story telling you more of how he got to this point- In "We who are Blessed Under Starlight" specifically.

William is a Magical Boy by the name of Innocent Ash. He's rather young, one of three of what the Blessed call "The little Trio" which make up him, his adopted sister Swan, and Alice's adopted brother Mako. The three of them are pretty much inseparable (which took William's survivor guilt getting addressed- but more on that later)

William fights with a short sword on occasion- really just when he needs to. His main way of fighting is with his power- FIRE. Be it burning, destroying, or even warding things away, William fights like a fire bender who just wants to see the world burn.

His flames are sadly pretty one note- except for detail that he has almost always perfect control on what his flames will burn. He has also found that changing their color is pretty easy, not that it does much. This has lead to some... creative applications of fire. (One time, he was bored, so he tired to make a normal tree look like Christmas cam early. He is now asked to make flame decoration whenever he can. It's an art form at this point even though William isn't an artist.) (He does it for Swan.)

William is a quiet kid, who's rather smart but that comes from just how perceptive he is. He notices things. Be it moods or information others may miss, he always seems to catch that stuff first. It doesn't help his natural paranoia, but when it's needed- he uses it. (He... has had a lot of bad experiences in orphanages. Even now it clings to him. The feeling of someone trying to hurt him, right behind him- even when it's nothing at all)

William is an Orphan. His parents died in a home fire when he was young. Unluckily, his entire life has been accidents and hardship like that. From one orphanage that met the same fate his parent home did, to one who's entire child populace made his time there hell. He sadly had grow accustomed to wearing a mask- seeming meek and not worth the abusers time... even if it didn't always work. (The only time he's snapped is when his life was really in danger- when things actually got violent- those would also lead to him moving orphanages.) (The only time he harmed someone without violence... is when an older man who worked at the orphanage he was staying at at the time tried to touch him. William had to be dragged away from the man's blood face.)

As said before, he's the adopted brother of Swan- who's parent's took him in after he finally began to trust that he won't be the one person left again- that he won't be left alone again. Even if his new parents love him... he still has trouble sharing that back. He isn't trying to replace what he lost... but he has to tell himself that.

Swan's parents adopted him when he went back into school... there was an entire thing with the law trying to throw him back into the foster system- Claire and Zaken both has paid for a really good lawyer to help win custody and deal with the whole issue. (Later he learned that why it was so hard was that the Orphanage he was last at was only keeping kids so the government paid them- and was trying to keep it hush hush.)

William loves reading. It's his favorite pass times. He usually spends that time helping Swan to read. He cannot lie he doesn't enjoy teach now and again. (It's even better when it's all three of them. Him, Swan, and Mako.)

He has a weird bond with Kaito. Both of them once living on the streets- they kind of get on well together. He does not like when Kaito goes full gremlin and starts stealing stuff. (He usually has to be the one to place everything back. He just remembers where things were easily.)

As much as his entire brand is fire- he likes all of his drinks cold. Give him hot chocolate and he will place it in the freezer to cool it down quickly. Several other of the Blessed have issues with this. Swan emulates him to their collective horror.

William has periods where he just needs to be alone- be in silence and calm down. Over stimulation can get to him easy. Best one can do is give him that. (He tries to deal with it sometimes, pretend it isn't happening. Claire can always somehow tell though. She always makes sure he gets the room he needs)

And that is everything I have for now! Again, if you enjoyed reading about this story and William, feel free to reach out! Messages and the Inbox is always open- I love meeting new people!

Thank you for reading- but wait! There is still a short story about William down below. You might want to read that too on your way out. Either way, have a wonderful night!

William Rivers Story:

William believed himself to be Cursed for the longest time.

He had evidence for it. Just look at his life.

When he was only 5- he had to watch his parents burn alive in their home. When he was growing up he had to be tossed from orphanage to orphanage because he caused 'problems.'

Few wanted to adopt him- none ever fully committed after hearing everything he's been in. They said he was too quiet, too antisocial, too cold.

Maybe what else they called him was true... but he was never cold. He only learned how to hide the flames, hid the emotion. To put on a mask and seem like he was only part of the background. It helped, stopped at least the other children from bothering him- either in misguided blame or genuine attempts at friendship only missing the endurance to break through the shell- so he kept doing it.

He was the center of tragedy. No matter what, he always came out fine. He was always the lone person to survived unscathed. Eventually, he believed that to be true. That no matter what, he would be the only one to survive- only one to live. And so he would be alone. That is what he internalized during his time through those dark days.

One day, a Star had fell into a nearby forest. William, who had nothing better to do, followed to where he saw whatever fell from the sky above. Starlight seeped into him as he stepped forward towards the light in the clearing, clinging to his form.

His mind grew cloudy as his skin began to heat. Flames struck and clung to nearby trees. Soon, this once living forest became kindle to a flame unending.

And yet- William did not. Even as fire threatened to make him one with it- he stepped forward and reached for the Star-

The flames that once ate at the green plant life around him snuffed out in an instant, his body back to as it was before he stepped into this place- now with his Matrix, a bright shining Flame above what he knew was meant to be ash, hovering in front of him.

William, with his new found powers, ran. He lived on the streets, away from the constant hurt that came from the places that tried to board him.

One day, a Stranger appeared, and promised him he would grant him his most wanted wish- if only he were to gather Starlight until his Matrix was bursting.

Unannounced to the Stranger, he chose his lie poorly. William, despite it all, never truly wished "For his parents to come back to his arms." They were gone, and he had accepted that.

And so William distrusted The Man who Thought Himself God from day one.

Sadly for William, others did not share his worry, blindly trusting that horrible man's promises. And so- he was brought into the fight orchestrated by the one who sought to claim God's throne.

He did not trust any other Blessed, and did not fight against the Cursed. He defended himself when those who realized the other Blessed carried far more Starlight then a normal Cursed ever would. He ran when the one who could freeze others with just a touch approached him-

And again and again and again.

She wouldn't stop. She even started to do it outside of her costume- with no weapon and powers weakened. He didn't understand.

So he watched her.

He watched how she fought not for some stupid Wish... but for the sake of protecting others. How she had a smile when she saved that child from being eaten by the Cursed teddy bear. How she laughed in joy when she finally beat the tainted master of the towns local Dojo- before undoing as much corruption as she could- not thinking to harvest the poor soul for even a second.

Watching became brief interactions. Where he would ask a question- and she would answer as well as she could.

That too turned into him aiding in fighting- no protecting people. And soon he met others like her- Like Alice. (That was her name... why did it take him so long to ask?)

Then... he met the girl who would become his sister.

Later... he met the boy who he and she would call their brother.

Slowly but surely... he learned he had wandered into a family. He was afraid. Afraid they would die, and leave him... But they proved him wrong.

Again and Again and Again-

They lived. They survived. And they all went back home together in the end.

Even when it got hard. Even when the world itself chose to challenge them- to try and slaughter them as they tried to do what was right-

They did not leave him.

He isn't alone- and won't ever be again.

#OC #My OC #Magical Boy #We who are Blessed under Starlight #Original work #This took me a while so probably no Chapter tonight.#Now I'm not sure who to do next.#Mako or Swan?#Hmmmmm #I'll think on it.

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the-lost-kemetic · 1 year

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Most common water sources and their uses

I’m sure we’ve all used water in our practice at some point. I won’t lie, I’d actually be a little surprised if I heard someone didn’t actually use water in their practice at all! It’s a very common tool, and it’s relatively easy to get your hands on it. For today’s post, I wanted to talk about the most common sources of water and what you can use with them!

Storm water

This is probably my favorite to work with, hence why it’s at the top of this list. Typically, you’ll gather this water by placing a bucket or other container outside during a storm. Lightning storms are typically the best, as they’re the most powerful.

You can use storm water for emotional strength, confidence, charging crystals, motivation, and power. I like using it in my baneful spells, as storm water is good for making spells even more powerful.

Lake water

Water gathered from lakes is good for cleansing and healing rituals. This is another one that's relatively easy to get your hands on, so long as you live near a clean lake! I especially use it for cleansing sprays: mixing ingredients with it to make it more powerful. Lake water can be used for protection and banishing, but there's other water I prefer for that.

Rain water

Like storm water, rain water is also really easy to collect! Just put out a bucket or contain outside when it's raining. Be careful to make sure that it's not storm water, as it's very easy to get those confused. My way of telling between them is that storm water is gathered when there's a thunder storm or very strong winds, while rain water is gathered during light or heavy rain.

Rain water—alongside river water—are my favorite waters to use when it comes to spells or rituals that require moving on or washing away things from the past. Rain water itself is pretty much multi-purpose, and I like using it for growth and rebirth.

Dew water

This is perfect for fertility and love spells, as well as magic that's a bit more delicate. If there's a spell you want to last for a long time, use dew water!

River water

This is the perfect water for spells and rituals where you want to release something you no longer have a need for. If there's something specifically you want to get rid of, use rain water! It's also really good for warding, or breaking through rough patches.

Snow water

Snow water is made by gathering snow in a jar and letting it melt naturally. It's good for spells and rituals that focus on purity, endings, and change. Snow water that I gather from freshly fallen snow is what I use for rituals that cleanse negative energies and send peace throughout my home.

I use snow water from blizzards for spells that have a lot of power. Snow storm/blizzard water have an energy that's equivalent to storm water.

Moon water

Moon water is made by charging water beneath the light of a moon, typically a full moon although any moon phase works. This is the water that I use for all of my scrying, as full moon water is extremely powerful. I also use moon water as a base for my anointing oils or purifying my space.

Sun water

Sun water is made by leaving a jar of water under the light of the sun. It's useful for charging tools and giving energy boosts to spells. I myself will use either dew or rain water in conjunction when I make my sun water. I feel as though dew and rain water have a lot of connection to the sun, which is why I do it.

I don't really use sun water in my practice, as the sun isn't something I use a lot.

Salt water

This is water gathered from the ocean and seas. I don't use it at all since I don't live next to either of them, but I hear it's good in cleansing, healing, and protection.

If anyone uses salt water, feel free to add!

Holy water

Typically, I make holy water by asking deities to bless either rain, river, lake, or snow water as those are the waters that are most pure in their original forms. After my deities bless the water, I cleanse a small bowl of salt and add a small amount of it into the water (I typically use sea salt for this). Holy water is useful for banishing, binding, dispelling, healing, and protection.

#witchblr #witchcraft #sea witch #pagan witch #water magic

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ftmwtch · 1 year

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Some Texan Folklore, Remedies, & other Superstitions

I'm unsure if these are strictly Texan specific, or if they may even be something only my small town does, but figured I'd share some of the stuff I heard growing up in South Texas

chewin' tobacco juice for insect stings, mainly bee, wasp, fire ant, and scorpion - its meant to draw the sting out. mud also works in a pinch

aloe or vinegar for sunburns

teaspoon of honey with lemon for a cough

for a cold, a shot (or glass) of whiskey with sugar and lemon. ive also heard it be used for aches, pains, curing a toothache, and ensuring a good nights sleep

biting into a pepper or taking a shot of hotsauce to clear stuffed sinuses

sea salt and a few drops of hot sauce into warm water to gargle for a sore throat

prickly pear juice for ulcers or an upset stomach, and a prickly pear poultice for sores or burns

sweet tea to cool you down and keep you hydrated, and a glass on the porch during sunset is said to be a sure fire way to ease stress or loneliness (a swig of bourbon is sometimes added on rough or celebratory nights)

a glass of buttermilk will cool you down when your overheating or settle an upset stomach

oatmeal bath for poison oak, ivy, etc

a pinch of baking soda in your pitcher is said to give you sweeter sweet tea

dont point at a grave - your finger will rot and fall off

when visiting a graveyard turn your pockets inside out so no spirits can hitch a ride home in your pants

brass cowbells get hung around cows necks to keep them producing milk so its believed ringing them can attract good luck as well

if your ears are ringing, it means someone is talking about you

to make an incoming storm miss your property, stick an axe in the ground - its said to split the cloud

a ring around the moon means bad weather is coming

a buzzards shadow crossing you brings bad luck

Horsehair rope to keep rattlesnakes away. I mainly hear this one about camping and keeping it tied outside your tent to ward them off, but I've known a few older folk who tie it to their bedposts year round

a rightside up (U) horseshoe above your door brings good luck to you and your family and wards away evil. if you hang it upside down or it falls upside down, all your luck is said to have fallen out. its luckier too if you spit on it before hanging it up

dont camp or walk by a river at night, and if you hear a womans cries coming from the river, dont investigate, as most rivers tend to have a vengeful spirit that wants company

Be wary of letting your kids roam during canicula - or the "dog days"/the hottest days of summer - and adults should be vigilant too. It's mainly to do with the heat, but I've also heard this time of year is when fatigue, fevers, and bad luck haunts your step, as well as tales of a serpent who preys on children during this time

A redheaded woodpecker pecking on your roof means a death will happen in your family. I've also heard this said for when a bird flies inside your home

Don't wear your hat backwards, set it on your bed, or set it brimside down - all of the luck will spill out. Setting it on your bed may even bring death upon you or your loved ones. Set it upside down (if you can't hang it up) to keep all your luck inside (I think this one is primarily for cowboy hats, but I've seen most people set their baseball caps upside down too)

tamales are made and eaten at Christmas to represent family coming together

Rain is coming if all your cows lay down in the field, or if spiders, flies, or spiders come into your home

Plant your root vegetables during a new moon and your leafy vegetables during a full moon, both at night, for a better harvest

if your horses mane or tail is in knots, they were visited by fairies (the horses hair tangles because fairies are said to use it as reins to ride the horse). its best to leave the lil riders some milk and honey as thanks for exercising your horse

when you kill a snake, you have to bury its head seperate from the body or either the spirit of the snake will come back for revenge or all of its snake friends will retaliate

An itching right palm will shake a new hand (a new friend or acquaintance will be made) while an itching left palm means money is coming your way

buy a new broom when you move houses for a clean start. bringing your old broom with you will bring all your old problems and bad luck

Salt thrown over your right shoulder stops bad luck (and salt thrown over your left doubles bad luck)

Knocking on wood unjinxes you or wards off evil spirits

Toads and crickets in your garden mean good luck is coming your way

when its sunny and raining at the same time, my family said it meant the devil was kissing his wife, but others also said it meant the devil was beating his wife

Open your windows when it rains so negative energy will leave and the positive energy of the rain will come in

its unlucky to wear yellow

always shave before a competition, job interview, or first date - its said that youre cleaning up to impress Lady Luck

dont eat chicken on new years or before a competition - its unlucky

never buy boots secondhand - youll get all of the old owners troubles

stepping in manure is said to bring you good fortune, especially if your boots are new

black eyed peas and cornbread on new years eve for good luck and greens (either cabbage or collard greens) for wealth in the new year

Have you heard of any of these? Does your family know of or do any of them? Feel free to add any other ones you might know!

#southern folk magic #did not realize most of the ones i know focus mainly on luck #might ask my parents for any others i might have forgotten #folk magic #witchcraft #texas witchcraft #texas folk magic #i know of some others but theyre focus more heavily on cattle or ranching or farming #or some werent really folktales so much as common sense folk sayins #southern witchcraft #texas witch #witch #magic #superstitions #witchblr

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direwombat · 10 months

Text

so many wednesdays, so little time

tagged by the beloveds @wrathfulrook, @inafieldofdaisies, @adelaidedrubman, @ivymarquis, and @gaeadene for wip wednesday specifically, and by @river-ward, and @cassietrn for general wip sharing (thank you all so much <3 <3 <3)

tagging: @strafethesesinners, @strangefable, @detectivelokis, @sstewyhosseini, @confidentandgood, @henbased, @voidika, @poetikat, @roofgeese, @vampireninjabunnies-blog, @aceghosts, @purplehairsecretlair, @deputyash, @harmonyowl, @madparadoxum, @euryalex, @clonesupport, @neverthesameneveranother, @trench-rot, @jacobsneed, @josephslittledeputy, @g0dspeeed, @socially-awkward-skeleton, and anyone else wanting to share their wips today! (but as always no pressure <3)

as of checking the poll i made, looks like syb's public speaking is in the lead (by the slimmest of margins), so have some of that :)

Sticking two fingers in her mouth, she whistles loudly to get the room’s attention. All eyes turn to her. “Alright, y’all, we’ve got company inbound,” she says. “At least three trucks — estimated nine to twelve hostiles — en route comin’ in from the south. Likely just as many’re gonna come in from the north. Got maybe another seven left still outside. Now, Grace is keepin’ ‘em busy ‘cross the street, but she ain’t gonna be able to hold ‘em off forever. We also got air support incoming. I ain’t gonna lie, shit’s bad. We’re outgunned and outnumbered.”

The gathered civilians mutter anxiously among themselves. Doubt suddenly casts dark shadows over their faces, causing Sybille’s stomach to knot, but Pastor Jerome gives her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

She takes a deep breath. “But it ain’t hopeless,” she continues, and everyone falls silent. “Now, I want y’all to listen up and listen good ‘cause I’m only gonna say this once. Y’all willin’ to fight, we gonna leave out that back door, okay? After that, buddy up and do not let each other outta your sight. Just like huntin’ or hikin’, alright? Your buddy is. Your. Lifeline. Y’hear me?”

The civilians nod.

“Good,” she breathes. “Stick to cover and when that plane comes, get under a roof or awnin’. Key is makin’ yourself as small a target as possible. You get shot? Hide. Don’t get cocky. Don’t take unnecessary risks. Don’t be a hero. There any part of that y’all ain’t like, ain’t nobody gonna judge you for it, okay? Any of y’all wantin’ to stay behind, barricade the doors, head on down to the basement, and wait til someone comes to get you.” She swallows thickly and says, “Everything’ll be just fine. We all clear?”

In a chorus of voices that reminds her of her brief stint as a Staff Sergeant, all present — including Jerome — say, “Yes, ma’am.”

There were many she served with many who hungered for such authority. So many who went career not out of patriotism but rather lust for power. But she always found issuing orders to be agonizingly unpleasant. She hated having that kind of trust, that kind of loyalty in her hands and the weight of her unit’s lives on her shoulders.

Still hates it, as it turns out.

Jesus Christ, she’s gonna get all these people killed and it’s gonna be all her damn fault.

“Alright then,” she nods, trying to force the lump of dread down her throat and into her stomach where it belongs. “Move out.”

“Yes, ma’am!” they all cry in unison. They gather their weapons and begin to file out the back door of the church. She follows behind them, ensuring she’s the last one out to provide covering fire.

Jerome waits for her by the door, but before she crosses the threshold, he stops her. “These are fully grown men and women, Deputy,” he says quietly. “Their choices are their own.”

Her eyes go wide and she blinks owlishly at him, her mouth slightly agape. Swallowing thickly, she presses her lips into a tight, firm line and nods. So were the people I was in charge of, she doesn’t say. It don’t make the guilt any less unbearable.

But there are more pressing issues than arguing about who bears responsibility over whom. Debates of blame and morality are best left to the peacetime philosophers and judges. No, she has a job to do. She can’t allow herself to slip into the same guilt and ruminate on the same ghosts that plagued her in the quiet nights she spent in the hospital before being honorably discharged with a purple heart that she doesn’t deserve.

No, this is war, and war necessitates action. Movement.

If she stops, she’s as good as dead.

Her jaw sets and expression hardens. She looks at Jerome and nods towards the single civilian yet to partner with a buddy. “Get movin’,” she grunts.

#wip wednesday #wip: kneeling at the crossroads #context: these are the civilians she sent to jerome's church after she freed them #she went to check on them when the plane is called in. wanted to get them somewhere safe #but when she walks inside she sees jerome helping arm them up :)

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kingofsummer93 · 1 year

Note

51- Elucien

Humor, Fluff, Fun–Dialogue Prompts

51-My tongue can be quite spontaneous // Really? // Not like that!

Your Secret's Safe with Me

Word Count: 2.9K

Summary: Lucien interrupts Elain's night alone.

Rating: T

The River House was blissfully quiet. It was usually so loud and hectic that for several minutes Elain simply stood in the front hall and drank in the silence. As a human she had hated silence, and solitude even more so, preferring to be surrounded by people and activity at all times. There was nothing that human Elain would have disliked more than an evening alone in an empty house.

Present day, Fae Elain couldn’t think of anything better.

It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate her family or didn’t like spending time with them- far from it. It was just that with her new fae senses everything was so loud, and sometimes all she wanted to do was run up to her room and clap her hands over her ears until the noise faded.

But she couldn’t do that, of course, because she was meant to be the even-tempered, gentle-mannered, sweet and agreeable sister. Her role did not allow for temper tantrums.

Still, sometimes she couldn’t help it. Like whenever he came around, and the background noise of the ocean in the distance and the thousands of feet stomping the streets of Velaris faded away until there was nothing but the drumming of his heartbeat in her ears. Somehow that was always worse, because it made it so much more difficult to ignore him.

But that evening his heartbeat was nothing but a distant, faint echo, and the house around her was empty of the usual cacophony of voices and crying and doors opening and shutting and glass or china shattering. Somehow, someone always ended up breaking something at each and every one of the family dinners that were held at the River House. Elain could not make sense of it.

Feyre, Rhys, and their inner circle had gone to the Hewn City for a meeting of some kind, the details of which Elain had not been made privy to. They had offered that she join them, but the offer had been so clearly reluctant that Elain had immediately made up an excuse not to go. Besides, she hated the Hewn City and would have gladly not stepped foot there for the rest of her immortal life.

Having the whole house to herself was so novel that Elain didn’t know where to begin. She ate bread and cheese for dinner while standing at the kitchen counter and washed it down with wine that she swigged directly from the bottle. Then she took a bath and stayed in so long that she had to drain the water and refill the bath twice. Afterwards she walked around the entire house in nothing but a robe, giggling to herself at the impropriety of it. If anyone could see her now they’d be shocked.

She was lying on the couch (still wearing nothing but her robe), reading a romance novel left behind by Nesta that she wouldn’t have dared read in front of anyone, her bottle of wine sitting on the floor next to her, when the doorbell rang. Elain had been so engrossed in the scandalous novel that she gasped and jumped in fright. As the echoes of the doorbell faded she realized she had been so distracted that she had missed something.

That heartbeat, beating louder and louder, until it was a steady drum in her ears. Elain’s own heart skipped a beat. Shit. What was he doing here, at this time of night? During her evening alone, no less.

Elain hesitated. She had half a mind to pretend she wasn’t there. Eventually he would realize that no one was home and he would leave. There were wards around the house that prevented anyone other than Rhysand and Feyre from winnowing in, so if she didn’t answer the door eventually he would be forced to leave. She knew it was terribly rude, but the thought of making stilted conversation with him at this moment was unbearable.

A horrible thought occurred to her then. Had he known that she would be alone? Had he come specifically because he knew that nobody would be around, and she would have no opportunity to make up an excuse and run out of the room?

The thought made her heart race so fast she thought she might vomit. It might have made her a coward, but at that moment she decided to stay put on the couch and ignore him. She couldn’t do it, she couldn’t face him, even as something stirred within her, some ancient instinct awakening at the knowledge that her mate was near. It was urging her to open the door, breathe in his intoxicating scent, feast on the sight of his beautiful face, and let that deep, rich voice soothe her like a tonic.

Don’t you want to hear that voice? Don’t you want to look at him, just a little bit, just a quick glance…

No. No no no, no, no. She did not. Absolutely not.

The doorbell rang again, followed by three firm knocks. Shit. Why couldn’t he get the hint?

Elain stayed put on the couch. Eventually he would leave. Short of breaking down the door, he’d have no choice. Elain strained her ears, listening for the sound of his footsteps walking back down the drive, but all she could hear was that damn heartbeat. Long minutes passed as she sat there, frozen on the couch like a deer caught in a trap. She had just decided to tiptoe upstairs to her room, when a bright flash of white light coming from the front hall made her jump to her feet.

She assumed it must be Feyre and Rhys, home early from the Hewn City, and she was immediately relieved at being saved from her predicament. But then a figure rounded the corner into the family room, and Elain’s heart quickened as she came face to face with her mate. Lucien stopped in his tracks as he spotted her standing there, his russet widening almost comically.

“Oh,” he said. “Hi. I um…I apologize, I didn’t mean to barge in on you like that…”

That mismatched gaze swept over her quickly, taking in her robe, the book on the couch, and her bottle of wine sitting on the floor. His lips twitched in amusement and Elain immediately flushed with embarrassment.

Oh gods. She could not have been more mortified. He might as well have walked in on her in the bath. He’d tell Feyre what she had been doing, and Feyre would tell Nesta, and she’d never hear the end of it.

“Hi,” she murmured, looking at a point over his shoulder to avoid looking at that face. She had learned long ago that his face was a trap. She’d tell herself just one little glance and then end up in a staring contest with him, unable to look away.

“Sorry,” he repeated, shuffling awkwardly. “I didn’t realize…is nobody else home?” He angled his head back towards the entrance hall, his pointed ears twitching as he listened for any noise from the rest of the house.

Elain tightened the belt on her robe, suddenly hyper aware of her bare legs. The robe went to her knees and was hardly scandalous in fae terms, but it was still more revealing than she would have liked.

“No,” she replied. “Everyone is at the Hewn City. They said they wouldn’t be back until tomorrow morning. I can tell them you came by…”

Lucien frowned. “Really? But…Maybe I misunderstood…” He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and his frown deepened. “Seriously?”

Elain’s curiosity was piqued. “What?”

Lucien ran a hand through his unbound hair in frustration and for a second it seemed to glow like embers. It faded so quickly that Elain wondered if she had imagined it, but it left her breathless all the same.

“Feyre sent a note saying she had an urgent matter to discuss with me, and to come to Velaris as soon as I could.”

It was Elain’s turn to frown. “But they’ve been planning this visit to the Hewn City for weeks. Why would they…” Her stomach flipped. “You don’t think…you don’t think they did this on purpose, do you?”

From the look in his eyes she could tell that that was exactly what he thought. His cheeks flushed as his gaze swept around the room again.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I didn’t know…I wouldn’t have…”

Elain waved a hand vaguely, though she was suddenly enraged. How dare her sister meddle in her business like this? Did she think they wouldn’t realize her plan right away?

“It’s fine,” she replied. “You couldn’t have known she was trying to meddle.”

Lucien’s expression was equal parts guilty and irritated. “I’ll have a word with her tomorrow. Just because she’s High Lady doesn't mean she can just…” He huffed an irritated sigh. “Honestly though, I winnowed as soon as I got the note, she made it sound like an emergency…”

Elain felt a twinge of guilt, thinking of how she had been planning on leaving him on the porch. That made her think of something.

“Did Rhys take down the wards?”

Lucien blinked in confusion. “Sorry?”

“You winnowed directly inside. I thought only Feyre and Rhys were able to get past the wards?”

“Oh!” He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “I’m actually quite good at getting past wards and spells…secret talent, you could say. Can you not tell them, though? I’d rather not get beheaded if I can help it.”

Elain snorted despite herself. Lucien eyebrows shot up and his lips twitched again. It was such a departure from the usual pained expression he reserved for her that she relaxed, if only a little bit.

“Your secret’s safe with me.”

He smiled then, a genuine smile, and it took her breath away. He was so handsome that it was really quite annoying.

The silence stretched on until Lucien started shuffling awkwardly again. “I’ll get out of your hair,” he said, backing away towards the door. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, sorry again for barging in like that.”

Elain felt a stab of disappointment. They’d been talking almost normally for probably the first time ever, and he was already leaving? She knew it was absurd to be mad at him, considering it was usually her running out of the room, but still…

“Do you want to stay and have a glass of wine?” she blurted.

As soon as the words left her mouth she felt herself blush from head to toe. Cauldron had she really just said that? It must have been the alcohol going to her head. The alcohol and his scent, so strong and intoxicating it always made her feel slightly drunk.

Lucien looked as surprised as she felt. He stared at her for so long that Elain began to feel silly. Of course he didn’t want to stay and have a drink with her, he could barely stand to be around her for more than two minutes. She’d heard him say those exact words to Feyre once.

“Nevermind,” she mumbled. “Forget I said that, I just thought, you winnowed all this way…” she was rambling. She clamped her lips shut and forced herself to stop fiddling with the belt on her robe. What was wrong with her?

Lucien’s russet eye glittered with humor. “I would love to stay and have a glass of wine with you.” His eyes dipped to the bottle sitting on the floor. “But it looks like we’re going to need another bottle soon. And perhaps some glasses.”

Elain looked at her wine and saw there was only about a quarter of the bottle left. Had she really had that much?

“Oh. Right. Do you mind getting another bottle from the cellar? I just need to go upstairs and change…”

Lucien, to his credit, did not take his eyes off her face as she said this. He merely chuckled and tilted his head in a graceful nod. “It would be my pleasure.”

Elain did not let herself think about what she was doing as she ran upstairs and changed into a simple, flowy dress. She also did not let herself think about what she was doing as she stopped in front of the mirror on her vanity and quickly fixed her hair. She was simply being a good host, she reasoned. Nothing else. He had come all this way, this was the least she could do before she sent him on his way.

When she returned to the sitting room Lucien was holding a fresh bottle of wine and two glasses.

“I picked the most expensive one,” he said with a grin. “Don’t tell Rhys.”

A giggle bubbled out of her throat before she could stop it. Gods she needed to get a grip, or he would get the wrong impression. Maybe she was a little tipsy.

“That’s a lot of secrets you’re trusting me with,” she quipped.

Lucien handed her a glass, and as she took it from him their fingers brushed in the barest of touches. A little shiver went through her, and she prayed to any god who was listening that Lucien hadn’t noticed.

“Are you not trustworthy?” he asked, cocking his head in mock contemplation, russet eye twinkling with mischief. Mother above was he flirting with her?

And more importantly, why was she not bothered by it?

“Well,” she shrugged primly. “Maybe not. My tongue can be quite spontaneous.”

Lucien choked on the sip of wine he had just taken, and when he recovered his smile turned feline. “Really! Well.”

Elain flushed as she realized what she had just said. “Not…Not like that! I just meant…” “I’m just teasing,” he said with a little wink. “My tongue can be quite spontaneous as well.”

He was flirting with her. Elain suddenly had no idea what to do with her hands. What did people do with their hands when they were sitting?

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re referring to,” she replied, taking a prim sip of wine. She was suddenly grateful that he couldn’t hear her heart, considering how swiftly it was beating.

Lucien peered at the book she had been reading, his mouth quirking into a smirk. “From what I’ve heard about Sellyn Drake’s books, I’m prepared to bet you know exactly what I’m talking about, my lady.”

My lady. The combination of his suggestive words and my lady sent another little shiver through her. Judging from the way Lucien’s smirk intensified she was willing to bet he had absolutely noticed this time.

Elain had no idea what to say to that. Her eyes dipped to his lips, and she immediately regretted it. They were so full and soft-looking, with an elegantly arched cupid’s bow. They were the most kissable lips she’d ever seen.

But that was the mating bond talking, of course, not to mention the wine…

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

Elain ripped her gaze away from his face and studiously stared at her wine. “Nothing,” she blurted.

Lucien laughed softly. Elain could feel his breath against her cheeks, and when she lifted her gaze back to him she realized with a jolt that he had moved closer- close enough that she could see the panes and engravings in his metal eye. There was something hypnotizing about it, and she was unable to look away.

The sudden sound of voices from the front hall made them both jump, and Lucien surreptitiously moved further away from her on the couch. The next moment Feyre and Rhysand had appeared in the family room, and they fell silent as they took in the scene in front of them.

“Oh!” Feyre exclaimed. She locked eyes with Elain and winced visibly. “Sorry we’re late, we got held back at the Hewn City.”

“What are you doing home?” Elain blurted. “You said you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow morning.”

“We’ve had some emergency intel about Autumn that we have to discuss with Lucien urgently,” Rhys replied smoothly. His violet eyes were shining with amusement as he spotted the bottles of wine on the floor.

“You got my note, right?” Feyre asked. “I’m going to get Nyx back from Amren and then we’ll meet you in Rhys’ study.”

With that her sister and her mate both left the room, sharing a meaningful glance as they did so.

Elain didn’t dare look at Lucien. How mortifying. Somehow the fact that Feyre hadn’t purposefully meddled was even more embarrassing.

Lucien cleared his throat. “So, um. I guess they did need to speak with me…”

Elain couldn’t help but giggle. “It would appear so.”

Lucien drained his glass and stood, though it appeared to be with some regret. He seemed to hesitate for a few moments, and then he took a deep breath and faced her.

“Would you…would you maybe want to do this again sometime? On purpose and not by accident?”

He looked so hopeful that it made Elain’s heart constrict. Just drinks. He’s just asking you out to get a drink, not to get married.

She met that mismatched gaze that terrified and thrilled her so much. “I’d like that. Maybe it can even be at a restaurant and not my sister’s living room.”

Lucien’s face broke into a grin, and Elain was flooded with warmth, as if that flame that lived in his veins had somehow just touched her, too.

#elucien #elucien fanfic #lucien vanserra #elain archeron

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